Truffaut's Confidentially Yours is certainly a whimper of a final film. The plot follows Julien Vercel (Trintignant), who is being accused of murdering Massoulier with a shotgun to the face. We soon find out that Massoulier was sleeping with Vercel's wife (Sihol). When she ends up dead, even Vercel's lawyer (Laudenbach) cannot help him. He goes into hiding with the help of his secretary (Ardant). She's the only one who believes he's innocent--and she's willing to lie, cheat, and steal amidst the seedy underbelly of France to expose the truth.
Just about every facet of this film is mediocre or subpar. The acting is awkward and unconvincing. The shifts in mood destroy what little tension Truffaut is able to manage. Poor lighting and poor writing make the film impossible to enjoy. Half the scenes are too dark for me to tell what's going on and the other half seem intentionally obfuscated to keep it "mysterious." While I was intrigued and engaged initially, the unsatisfying ending absolutely ruins the rest of it. The "explanation" just doesn't make much sense and there are a lot of loose ends that never get tied up. A supposed tribute to Hitchcock, Confidentially Yours only serves to show us that it takes more than studying a master to replicate his genius.
IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086551/
